[The following is an updated version of a report delivered in May by Economic Developer Gerry Nechvatal to the Chamber of Commerce Board]. The visit by the Port Royal Development Team sparked a great deal of interest as evidenced by the tremendous turnout at the Chamber of Commerce membership breakfast in May, and although the response has been very positive, there have been some valid questions and legitimate concerns which I would like to address.

For comments from the economic developer pick up a print copy or follow the link to our e-edition.

Please note:Opinion summaries are prepared by the Public Information Office for the general public and news media. Summaries are not prepared for every opinion released by the Court, but only for those cases considered of great public interest. Opinion summaries are not to be considered as official opinions of the Court. The full opinions are available on the Supreme Court website at www.gasupreme.us .

In this high-profile case from rural Marion County, the Supreme Court of Georgia has unanimously upheld the murder conviction and life prison sentence given to a woman who admitted to police she had shot and killed a young man she believed was having an affair with her husband.

According to the facts presented at trial, Donna Slaughter, 30 at the time of the crime, lived in a trailer on Palm Drive in rural Mauk, GA, with her then 23-year-old husband, Jason Slaughter. For about a year, 21-year-old Michael Haegele also lived with the couple.

On May 7, 2010, a man’s body was found on the side of Butler Mill Road in Macon County, spotted by a school busload of children. The victim had been shot in the back of the head, and the words, “Fag,” “KKK,” and “Hell” had been written on his body. But it otherwise contained no identification. Law enforcement canvassed witnesses in the area, and one resident said he had seen a small red truck stop on Butler’s Mill Road, which struck him as odd. In an attempt to identify the victim, law enforcement also released sketches and limited information to various media outlets.

Mt. Oglethorpe Foundation announced earlier this spring that trails at their park on the end of Monument Road are open and it great shape, courtesy of work by the local Mt. Stewards trail group. Here is a brief description of the trails supplied by the Mt. Stewards.

Access:Follow Rt. 136 to Burnt Mt. and turn south on Monument Road. Follow Monument Road to the very end (about 5 miles) and enter the Eagle’s Rest site. Drive up the hill to the parking location on the side road off of the main access road. The trails begin off of the parking area.

Just in time for the hot weather, the swimming pool at Roper Park will open for the season Sunday. Pool hours are every Sunday noon to 6 p.m. During the week, the pool is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

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Cost is $3 per person or $100 for a family pass that gets four people in all year for $100.

Updated Quinton in Cherokee County jail after bond revoked from first wreck (scroll to bottom for update)

Ryan Quinton, who is charged for a fatal wreck that killed his bride in December, was arrested for driving under the influence after leaving Rocco’s Pub on Highway 515 around 1 a.m. Saturday morning.

Captain Frank Reynolds with the Pickens’ Sheriff’s office said Quinton pulled out in front of the sheriff’s HEAT unit, which caught the officer’s attention. Reynolds said, “Pulling out in front of an officer is kind of a telltale sign [of impaired driving].”